In Thu Duc Market — one of the city's flood-prone hotspots — several storm drains were dislodged under pressure from the high water flow.

Floodwaters submerged key roads around the market, including Le Van Minh, Kha Van Can, and Duong Van Cam Streets. 

Motorbike riders were seen turning back at high-water areas, while others attempted to cross or were left pushing stalled vehicles through knee-deep water.

"The flooding used to be slower here before the drainage system was upgraded. Now the water flows down too fast and overwhelms the street," said Phan An Quoc, 58, a resident of Duong Van Cam Street. 

The drainage project in the area was inaugurated just over a year ago, but similar incidents were reported during the first major rain of the 2024 season.

At around 8:30 am, streets in Go Vap District such as Nguyen Van Khoi near Le Van Tho intersection remained waterlogged, with cars and motorbikes moving cautiously through water that reached halfway up their wheels. 

Workers from Ho Chi Minh City Urban Drainage Co. were deployed to remove debris blocking the drains.

Residents said the rain began at around 6:00 am, and flooding quickly followed. 

By 9:00 am, pedestrians were still seen wading through the submerged streets.

According to the Southern and Central Highlands Regional Hydro-Meteorological Center, several locations in the city received over 100 mm of rainfall on Saturday morning — including 217 mm in Cu Chi District and 103.8 mm in Thu Duc City — marking the heaviest rainfall recorded so far this season.

Rainfall levels in other parts of southern Vietnam also exceeded 90 mm.

The meteorological agency warned that the rainy season has officially begun in Ho Chi Minh City, albeit later than in some other provinces that entered the season in late April. 

A strengthening low-pressure trough stretching from the northwest to the southeast and spanning the northern region and the southern part of the East Vietnam Sea is expected to continue influencing weather patterns in the coming days.

Forecasts indicate scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoons and evenings, with the potential for heavy to very heavy rain, strong gusts, lightning, whirlwinds, and hail. 

The agency also noted that early-season storms tend to develop rapidly and locally, often resulting in short bursts of intense rain.

Authorities have urged caution, especially in early May when temperatures remain high and rising humidity — driven by southwesterly winds — increases the risk of severe thunderstorms. 

Widespread rainfall events in May could bring further urban flooding, and coastal areas should prepare for rough seas and strong winds caused by potential low-pressure systems forming offshore.